The following benefits of a conflict resolution strategy in the workplace has long been recognised.
- It helps foster stronger relationships horizontally between employees and vertically between employees and management by increasing awareness and understanding of different points of view and educating staff about how to avoid conflict the first place.
- It fosters a problem-solving mindset and approach. Having employees at the frontline of conflict resolution is a great way of teaching meaningful problem-solving techniques.
- Stress and tensions can be greatly reduced in the workplace with an effectively implemented and managed conflict resolution program.
These are only some of the advantages but how EFFECTIVE is mediation in the workplace?
What we can say is that workplace conflict is costing the British economy billions of pounds a year.
In February 2013 ACAS produced a report: http://www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/n/n/Mediation-an-approach-to-resolving-workplace-issues.pdf
Mediation: an approach to resolving workplace issues in which they stated the following findings, among others:
In an ACAS telephone survey of managers in 500 SMEs (small to medium enterprises) of those that had used mediation, 99% agreed that it was a good tool for resolving workplace disputes.
This report also found that other common benefits of mediation included:
Retaining valuable employees-63%
Reducing the number of formal grievances raised-57%
Developing an organisational culture that focuses on managing and developing people-55%
Reducing sickness absence-33%
Being able to maintain confidentiality-18%
A 2nd report commissioned by ACAS in 2013 and carried out by Plymouth University in one of my old home cities reported: http://www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/t/j/Workplace-mediation-the-participant-experience.pdf
Mediation can help to resolve issues that would otherwise be likely to escalate into intractable and costly disputes. Compared with conventional grievance and disciplinary procedures, mediation offers significant savings and helps to repair and maintain employment relationships.
Our view at Compass Resolution Mediation for Business is that mediation has huge benefits in the workplace and can achieve a great deal especially if it forms part of a wider dispute resolution program incorporating conflict resolution training, educating people to avoid conflict rather than waiting for it to arise and then deciding who wins and loses.
Here at Compass, we can either offer independent mediators to assist you or Training programmes or both.
We strongly believe that the best approach includes both preventative and remedial strategies.